I. Field and Purview
The present invention concerns a frame with or without an accompanying pull out drawer system, useful, for example, with pickup trucks, other vehicles such as cargo vans, sport utility vehicles and so forth, and trailers, as well as in cabinetry, shelving and so forth, which includes at least one quick to install and release member or part for attaching and detaching the frame or frame with pull out drawer system to the pickup, other vehicle, trailer, or other suitable mounting member. In particular embodiments, the quick-install, quick-release frame subsystem can be attached to the vehicle or trailer cargo bed through any of a number of latch and catch mechanism types, as well as through other types of mechanisms. For example, rotary latch(s) and/or over center toggle clamp(s) may be affixed to a stationary frame cross-member of a pull out drawer system, with corresponding catch(es) or striker(s), or latch-plate(s), mounted in or to the cargo bed to receive the same.
II. Art with Problems
Various extendible drawer or tray devices are known for easing the burden of loading and unloading cargo. See, e.g., Darbishire, U.S. application Ser. No. 09/506,057 filed Feb. 17, 2000, U.S. Pat. No. 6,328,364 (Dec. 11, 2001). As useful as such devices are for their intended purpose, especially the devices of the '057 application, installation of the same usually requires drilling and screwing, or welding or modification of the cargo bed of the pickup truck. Although the known installation procedures can be relatively simple for the skilled home or professional mechanic, they do take time, and may undesirably invade the integrity of the pickup truck or other vehicle cargo bed as it may come from the factory or showroom. As well, removal of the cargo-carrying device is more than occasionally desired, for example, to transport a load of topsoil or decorative stones, but if so desired or possible, involves reversing the process of installation and could involve removal of rusty nuts and bolts, which is itself an unpleasant task, leaving exposed holes in the bed of the pickup truck. Such a removal process, too, can take up a significant amount of time. Of course, after the specified task is complete, there is again faced the job of reinstalling the extendible drawer device.
It would be desirable to simplify and speed up installation of extendible drawer or tray devices. It would be desirable also to provide for a simplified and speedy removal of the extendible drawer or tray devices. As well, it would be desirable to make it possible to easily and quickly install, remove, reinstall and so on, the extendible drawer or tray devices. It would be further desirable to be able to provide such with a minimum of invasion of the cargo bed or other suitable mounting member.